Executive Director

About Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

Founded in 1976, the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to the encouragement and advancement of Black professionals and other underrepresented communities across aviation and aerospace. OBAP inspires excellence by removing barriers through exposure, skill development, access, mentoring and advocacy, with a vision to drive excellence through representation in aerospace.

OBAP has grown from a pioneering organization of Black airline pilots into a broad aerospace workforce-development and membership organization serving more than 5,000 members in the United States and internationally. Its members represent major and regional carriers and a wide range of aerospace professions. A deeply committed network of volunteers extends OBAP’s reach across the country and helps deliver programs serving students, emerging professionals and established leaders.

Through its aviation workforce development model, OBAP creates a continuum from early exposure to career advancement. Programs include Aerospace Professionals in Schools (APIS), Aerospace Career Education (ACE) Academies, Explore Aerospace, the Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. Flight Academy, Solo Flight Academy, the Ascension Program, scholarships and the Aerospace Professional Development Program. OBAP also convenes a national conference and other professional-development experiences that connect members, employers, mentors and industry partners.

With an annual budget of approximately $4-$5 million, a professional staff of approximately 12 and a national volunteer network, OBAP is positioned for its next chapter. The organization seeks a transformational leader who will honor its 50-year legacy while strengthening the operating foundation, expanding and diversifying revenue, elevating its story and preparing OBAP to serve the aerospace community for decades to come.

Position Summary

The Executive Director serves as OBAP’s chief executive officer and is responsible for advancing the mission, strategy, financial sustainability and operational effectiveness of the organization. Reporting to and working in close partnership with the Board of Directors, the Executive Director translates Board-level vision into a clear organizational strategy, measurable operating plans and disciplined execution through staff, volunteers and partners.

This is both a strategic and hands-on leadership role. The Executive Director will assess and strengthen OBAP’s staffing and operating model; establish clear expectations and accountability; oversee finances, programs, technology and administration; and provide sophisticated, timely reporting to the Board. The leader will help the Board continue its evolution from a working board toward a strategic governance board by building confidence in management’s ability to lead day-to-day operations.

Externally, the Executive Director alongside the Board Chair will be OBAP’s principal ambassadors, storyteller and relationship builder. This leader will steward existing sponsors, cultivate new corporate and philanthropic partners within and beyond aviation, engage members and volunteers, and clearly communicate OBAP’s impact and value. The successful candidate will pair executive presence and entrepreneurial vision with sound judgment, financial fluency, emotional intelligence and a demonstrated ability to turn ideas into results.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

Organizational Leadership and Team Management

• Partner with the Board of Directors to refine OBAP’s long-term vision and strategic priorities, then translate those priorities into actionable plans, budgets, performance measures and clear organizational accountability.
• Assess OBAP’s organizational structure, staffing levels, roles, contracts and workflows; align resources with strategic priorities; address performance issues; and ensure the right people are in the right roles.
• Lead, develop and hold accountable professional staff; establish clear goals, decision rights and performance expectations; encourage cross-functional collaboration; and build a culture of trust, service, follow-through and continuous improvement.

Board Governance and Leadership

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the Board; maintain transparent, proactive communication; provide timely, decision-ready reporting; and support the Board’s continued transition from operational involvement to strategic governance.
• Equip the Board with accurate financial, programmatic and organizational information; clarify the distinction between governance and management; and ensure appropriate follow-through on Board direction and decisions.

Fundraising and Revenue Development

• Develop and execute a sustainable revenue-growth strategy that strengthens existing corporate sponsorships while diversifying support through new industries, foundations, individual philanthropy, strategic partnerships and other mission-aligned opportunities.
• Personally cultivate, solicit and steward high-level sponsors, donors and partners; articulate a compelling value proposition; understand partner objectives; demonstrate return on investment; and ensure strong sponsorship activation and fulfillment.

Financial Stewardship, Operations and Technology

• Provide responsible financial leadership for an annual budget of approximately $4-$5 million, including budgeting, forecasting, cash-flow oversight, internal controls, risk management and regular reporting on revenue, expenses and organizational performance.
• Champion technology, data and digital tools that improve operational efficiency, financial and program reporting, member engagement, fundraising, communications and organizational decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with applicable nonprofit, employment, financial and regulatory requirements and maintain effective policies, controls, vendor oversight and enterprise risk-management practices.

External Relations, Storytelling and Strategic Partnerships

• Serve as OBAP’s ambassador and gifted storyteller across corporate boardrooms, philanthropic settings, industry events, the national conference, member gatherings, schools and community forums.
• Build an integrated communications and brand strategy that captures OBAP’s extensive impact stories, strengthens digital and social engagement, supports fundraising and membership, and positions OBAP as an influential voice across the full aerospace ecosystem.
• Cultivate partnerships across aviation, aerospace, education, government, technology, engineering and adjacent industries to broaden career pathways and extend OBAP’s reach and relevance.
• Represent OBAP nationally and travel approximately 20-30% to meet with sponsors and partners, engage members and volunteers, oversee key programs, attend industry events and support the annual conference.

Programs, Membership and Volunteer Engagement

• Oversee the quality, reach, financial sustainability and measurable impact of OBAP’s member services, youth education, flight training, scholarships, professional development, collegiate initiatives and major events.
• Strengthen relationships with OBAP’s members, regional leaders and extensive volunteer network; create meaningful opportunities for engagement; and ensure volunteers receive the communication, tools, support and recognition needed to succeed.

Candidate Qualifications

• A mission-driven executive with significant senior leadership experience in a complex organization; prior service as an Executive Director is valued but not required for a candidate who demonstrates readiness and a strong record of comparable leadership results.
• Demonstrated success leading organizational operations, people, budgets and change, with the ability to move fluidly between enterprise strategy and hands-on execution.
• Strong financial and business acumen, including experience managing budgets, evaluating staffing and operating models, establishing controls and using financial and performance data to guide decisions.
• A record of growing revenue and building high-value relationships with corporate sponsors, foundations, donors or strategic partners; confident making the ask and engaging senior corporate and philanthropic leaders.
• Experience working in or closely with a membership-based organization is strongly preferred; understanding of nonprofit governance, volunteer-led delivery models or chapter/regional networks is highly desirable.
• Exceptional executive presence and communication skills, with the credibility to command a room and the versatility to connect authentically with students, members, volunteers, staff, Board members, sponsors, public officials and C-suite leaders.
• Compelling storytelling and brand-stewardship ability, including skill translating programs, outcomes and personal stories into messages that inspire participation, partnership and investment.
• Demonstrated success building, coaching and holding teams accountable; willingness to make timely, sometimes difficult decisions in the best long-term interest of the organization.
• Sound understanding of the distinction between governance and management, with experience building a transparent, productive and trust-based partnership with a volunteer Board.
• High emotional intelligence, self-awareness and interpersonal maturity, along with the ability to navigate conflict, build consensus and earn influence across diverse constituencies.
• Strategic, entrepreneurial and forward-looking orientation, with the discipline to prioritize, execute, measure results and adjust as circumstances evolve.
• Digital fluency and an appreciation for technology and data as tools for member engagement, program delivery, fundraising, reporting and operational scale.
• A demonstrated commitment to expanding access, representation and opportunity in aviation, aerospace or other fields; knowledge of the aviation and aerospace ecosystem is preferred but not required.
• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant executive experience; an advanced degree is welcomed.
• Ability and willingness to work remotely, maintain a national presence and travel approximately 20-30%.

POLICY ON PLACEMENT AND RECRUITING

The Batten Group and the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals are committed to a recruitment process that identifies and advances highly qualified candidates. Candidates will be evaluated based on their demonstrated experience, leadership capabilities, accomplishments and alignment with the requirements of the position and the mission of OBAP.

The Batten Group does not discriminate in employment or recruitment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.